11 September 2012 7:09 PM

The launch of Conservative Voice should make Mr Cameron very afraid

There
is no love lost between two of the Tory Party’s biggest beasts David
Davis and Liam Fox who were (and still are) bitter rivals in the 2005
Tory leadership contest.

Davis, the former shadow home secretary, and Fox who
quit as Defence Secretary last year, are both battling to be seen as THE
standard bearer of the Tory right.

Yet they managed to bury their obvious
dislike of each other to make a rare joint appearance today for the launch of
Conservative Voice. The group will campaign for small government, lower
taxes, radical thinking in the delivery of public services, and more robust
approach to Europe.

Davis and Fox may not like each other but they are united
in their contempt for David Cameron.

They pledged loyalty of course but then
the maverick Tory MP Nadine Dorries, who was at the launch, observed icily:
‘We need a kill Cameron strategy, not a voice.’

The group, which was set up by
Don Porter, the former head of the voluntary party, will connect directly with
party activists who have been deserting the party in droves in protest at daft
policies such as gay marriage.

Mr Porter was also joined by Steve Barclay and
Dominic Raab, two of the brightest MPs from the 2010 intake and whom should
have been given high flying ministerial jobs by Mr Cameron but instead languish
on the backbenches. They loyally maintained that while they can make the
case for traditional Tory values, Mr Cameron and his ministers are constrained
by Coalition government.

Yes. But, only to a point. They have a point. But
there is nothing to stop Mr Cameron and George Osborne, his chancellor,
from repeating the mantra that the Tory Party believes in a smaller
state, less government, tax cuts to stimulate demand to kick start the moribund
economy, and a more sceptical stance on the EU. As messrs Cameron and Osborne
won’t, let’s hope Conservative Voice steps in to fill the policy and
philosophy vacuum.

The group is a welcome addition to the Conservative Party
political landscape. If it’s successful it should operate as a thorn in the
side of the Cameron leadership which steadfastly ignores the views of its
natural supporters and paid-up party members.

It’s why the choice of
Conservative Voice as the title of the new group is so simple but clever. Party
members have been neutered by the control freaks in Tory leadership. If the
Prime Minister was listening, he would long ago have abandoned the Lib Dem plan
for gay marriage which is designed to appeal to Mr Cameron’s Notting Hill elite
and would have at least advance don his case for a Bill of rights to replace
the wretched Human Rights Act.

Mr Cameron is in dangerous
territory. If he continues to ignore the views of his MPs and party members who
back good honest groups like Conservative Voice, then Nadine Dorries’s wish
could yet become a political reality.

Comments

I am not enamoured or indeed support any political party at present - but the sooner Conservative Party replaces this liberal equality madness i.e. The Prime Minister , Deputy Prime Minister and their acolyes, the better the Country will be for it. At the moment the memories of the horrors of past totalitarian regimes are almost too close to bear. God help us!

Conservative Voice is correct that it needs someone to spend up for true Tory values, and that Cameron is falling short in this regard. The problem for Cameron is that he not only needs to satisfy as many Tory voters as possible, but also gain a majority government. If Cameron shifted his position further rightwards to appease the core of his party then the next years of his government will be good news for the party faithful, but most likely fail to score them the victory they need. Cameron's Compromise, as it should be known, is the answer to the quesion "Is it better to be a wholly satisfied party in opposition or a slightly disappointed party in power?"

One really hoped for a time, when they were out of power, that the conservative mindset would start to wither away as we developed as a society. Sadly it seems that self-interest, suspicion/fear of change plus a limited social imagination are still very much with us

One of the things the Conservatives promised was a marriage tax allowance. If they were really listening or read these pages they would know that lots of mums, not all but lots, are too stressed at leaving their young and want to spend time caring for their children at least before school. If it was transferable than it would be flexible and parents would have choice and control of their own family care and peace of mind and we need more than ever to promote stable happy less stressed responsible families and this tax would do that. They would be self reliant instead of relying on the state. I was lucky not to have to rely on state childcare and we ran our own family life without interference when we had married tax allowance and a child tax allowance..This would help normal ordinary married women whose lives are far removed from the Notting Hill set and daft policies.

Very good article Andrew, as always. I agree completely. I am amazed at how out of touch Cameron became at such a great pace. Not six months ago was he riding high. I guess pride does really come before a fall. This country so desperately needs strong conservative leadership. I had such hopes in Cameron and Osborne and oh my have they disappointed. One chance to govern and make the difference this country really needed...and they blew it. Unbelievable!

Has there ever been a Prime Minister with less substance?Has Cameron ever had an original thought? If the likes of Fox and Davis (Big Beasts? more like Big Berks) cannot shift him it tells us all we need to know about Consevative MPs -a pathetic bunch of losers and a disgrace to the Country.

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